System for automated application of inoculants onto forage materials and measurement of moisture for optimum application

ABSTRACT

An automated system and method are provided for application of inoculant products onto forage material. Real time data measurements are taken for relative humidity and moisture content of the forage material in order to timely adjust the dispense rate of the inoculant applied to the forage material. Data gathering capabilities are provided with this system controller to enable an operator to view, adjust, and record various production records, as well as detailed information as to the amounts of inoculant applied. The components associated with the system of the present invention includes an inoculant bin or container including a dispense auger which dispenses a controlled amount of inoculant which is then conveyed to the intake opening of the baling machine the forage material enters the machine. The control system includes various sensors positioned at the intake opening of the baling machine which measures moisture content, and optionally the mass or volume of the incoming forage material. The control system provides a number of user interface options for controlling the dispensing of the inoculant product, as well as capturing data relating to the operation of the baling machine and the application of the inoculant product.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/769,887, filed Apr. 29, 2010, entitled “Method for AutomatedApplication of Inoculants onto Forage Materials and Measurement ofMoisture for Optimum Application” which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/421,392, filed Apr. 9, 2009, entitled “Systemand Method for Automated Application of Inoculants onto ForageMaterials,” which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system and method for applyinginoculants or conditioners to forage material used to feed livestock,and more particularly, to a system and method in which the amount ofinoculants applied is automatically corrected to account for changes inthe moisture content of the forage material, the relative humidity ofthe environment, and other factors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Inoculants or conditioning materials may be applied to treat varioustypes of animal feed when the animal feed is harvested. Forage materialssuch as hay crops and corn may be treated upon harvesting in whichinoculants are applied to the crops during baling or chopping of thecrops. Both liquid and dry inoculants/conditioners may be applied inorder to achieve a number of purposes to include conditioning the foragematerial for an increased storage life that prolongs the nutritionalvalue of the forage material.

It is known in the art to apply inoculants to forage materials that havebeen chopped/baled in automated baling and chopping equipment. Forexample, it is known to selectively apply inoculants to the harvestedcrops wherein certain parameters are measured, and the amount ofinoculants applied is adjusted to account for the measured parameters.Moisture content of the harvested crop is one measured parameter.However, one noteworthy shortcoming with respect to many prior artsystems is that the moisture content of the harvested crop is notmeasured until that particular portion of the crop has been baled.Therefore, any adjustments made in terms of the type/amount ofinoculants applied is conducted retrospectively, and not based upon theactual portion of the harvested crop that enters the baling/choppingmachine. This retrospective analysis of the moisture content can resultin very inaccurate and otherwise undesirable changes in application ofthe inoculants since it is well known that moisture content can widelyvary in closely adjacent sections of the harvested crop. For example, afield which hosts a crop may have randomly scattered depressions or aslope resulting in a portion of the field lying in an area thatnaturally collects water and moisture in general. Shading of the fieldin various locations also results in very different moisture contentsdepending upon when the crop is harvested during the day.

It is difficult to accurately measure the moisture content of a windrowof forage material entering the intake of a baling machine. As thewindrow enters the machine, it is laterally dispersed and must befunneled into a smaller area prior to entering the compaction chamber ofthe baling machine. Accordingly, this difficulty in measuring moisturecontent at the intake is why many prior art systems measure moisturecontent when the forage material is highly compressed in the bail sincethe compressed forage material is much easier to measure for moisture.This inherent difficulty in measuring moisture at the intake of thebaling/chopping machine, coupled with the retrospective moistureanalysis in the prior art devices, results in an inaccurate applicationof adjusted amounts of applied inoculants.

Therefore, there is a particular need for a system and method forapplying inoculants to forage material in which the amount of inoculantsapplied may be adjusted in real time based upon a prospective analysisof measured parameters so that adjusted amounts of inoculants areapplied to the actual portions of the forage material in which theparameters were measured.

There is also a need for capturing and recording data regarding measuredparameters associated with the harvested crop and the inoculants appliedto the harvested crop. This data can be used for production records,cost analysis, and other commercial needs.

There is also a need to provide a user friendly system and method inwhich an operator of the system can selectively apply inoculants to theforage material both in manual and automatic modes.

There is also a need for providing a system which can be easilyincorporated into existing baling/chopping machines withoutsignificantly altering the operation of the existing machine.

Each of the above needs is met with the present invention as describedbelow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a system and method areprovided for automated application of inoculants onto forage materialsin which the amounts applied can be varied by a prospective analysis ofthe un-baled forage material.

In accordance with the system of the present invention, an applicatorassembly or device is provided to dispense a dry inoculant product. Acontrol system coupled to the applicator assembly monitors and controlsthe rate and amount of the inoculant applied to the forage material. Adata collection means collects and stores data regarding measuredparameters of the forage material and applied inoculants. The controlsystem comprises various types of sensors to measure parameters such asthe feed rate of the crop, the moisture content of the crop, and therelative humidity of the surrounding environment. Data measured by thesensors is input to a controller which in turn generates outputs to thedispensing device to adjust the rate and amount of inoculants applied tothe forage material that has entered the baling machine, but has not yetbeen baled. Accordingly, the control system regulates applied inoculantsin real time to take into account specific measured parameters. Thecontrol system further comprises a human machine interface (HMI)including various user interface screens generated by software orfirmware associated with the controller allowing the operator to controldispensing of the inoculants. The HMI specifically includes four generalcategories of operator screens, namely, screens for automatic control,manual control, semi-automatic control, and screens that display thesystem status.

The applicator assembly further includes a bin or container for holdingthe inoculants to be dispensed and a means to controllably dispense theinoculants from the container. In a preferred embodiment, an auger isdisposed in the bottom of the container and the auger is powered by aspeed controlled motor. The auger has a discharge end or outlet thatdischarges the inoculants for delivery to the portion of the balingmachine that takes up the forage material. Optionally, a blowercommunicates with the outlet of the auger to assist in conveying theinoculants to the designated area in the baling machine where theexposed forage material travels. The bin is mounted above the pointwhere the inoculants are delivered so in some cases, gravity alone maybe adequate for dispensing the inoculants to the desired location withinthe processing machine, namely, a baling/chopping machine.

The applicator device can be conveniently mounted to the side or top ofthe baling/chopping machine. The auger and blower can be disposed in anoptimum manner with respect to the incoming stream of forage material sothat the auger/blower evenly applies the inoculants to the incomingforage material.

With the system and method of the present invention, a number ofbenefits are realized with respect to selectively applying desiredinoculants. The present invention provides a convenient and economicalretrofit solution for applying inoculants to forage materials to bechopped/baled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art square baling machine;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a prior art round baling machine;

FIG. 3 is another schematic view showing the round baler of FIG. 2manipulating an amount of forage material to create a round bale;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container or bin associated with thedispensing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation view of the bin;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the interior ofthe bin with an auger cover shown partially broken away to expose theauger;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example baling machine with thedispensing apparatus of the present invention mounted adjacent theintake area of the baling machine;

FIG. 8 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing theintake area of the example baling machine illustrated in FIG. 7 andshowing the location where the inoculants are dispensed from a conveyingline connected to the dispensing apparatus;

FIG. 9 is another greatly enlarged fragmentary perspective view showingthe location where the inoculants are dispensed from a conveying lineconnected to the dispensing apparatus;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the system of the presentinvention with respect to placement of system sensors in the intake areaof a baling machine;

FIG. 10A is an enlarged schematic diagram illustrating one example ofcontact-type sensors usable in the system of the present invention;

FIG. 10B is an enlarged schematic diagram illustrating one example ofnon contact-type sensors usable in the system of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a controller in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11A is a side view of an electrical junction box associated withthe controller

FIG. 11B is a bottom view of the junction box;

FIG. 12 is an example HMI in the form of a user interface screen thatcan be displayed on the controller for manual operation of the system;

FIG. 13 is another example HMI in the form of a user interface screenthat can be displayed on the controller for automatic operation of thesystem;

FIG. 14 is another example HMI in the form of a user interface screenthat can be displayed on the controller for semi-automatic operation ofthe system;

FIG. 15 is another example HMI in the form of a user interface screenthat can be displayed on the controller for displaying a system status;

FIG. 16 is another example HMI in the form of a user interface screenthat can be displayed on the controller for displaying additionalinformation on the system status;

FIG. 17 is another example HMI in the form of a user interface screenthat can be displayed on the controller for displaying a calibrationfunction allowing an operator to calibrate the speed sensor installed onthe baling/chopping machine; and

FIG. 18 is another example HMI in the form of a user interface screenthat can be displayed on the controller for displaying a calibrationfunction allowing an operator to set the expected forage amounts basedon the travel length of the baling/chopping machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The system and method of the present invention provides the delivery ofinoculants to forage material that is processed for baling/chopping.More specifically, the inoculants are provided to forage material thathas been harvested, and is to be baled for storage and subsequent use.The system of the present invention is conveniently mountable to aconventional baling/chopping machine. Hereinafter, reference to a“baling machine” is also understood to be a reference made also to achopping machine.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the present invention, a system isprovided for delivering selected amounts and types of inoculants toforage material.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided fordelivery of the inoculant material.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a combination isprovided for an inoculant delivery system and a baling machine.

Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art square baling machine is illustrated.The particular baling machine illustrated in this figure corresponds tothe invention disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,335, which isincorporated herein by reference for purposes of disclosing a knownbaling machine of the type which produces square bales. Typically, thebaling machine or baler follows a mowing machine that cuts and crimpsthe forage, and discharges it into windrows. A raking device may be usedto turn the hay over in order that the windrow can more completely dry.The baler collects the cut crop directly from the windrow andsubsequently shapes and compresses the hay into a desired shaped balefor storage and subsequent use. The baler shown in FIG. 1 may, forexample, be pulled behind a tractor that cuts the hay in the field.

FIG. 1 shows the square baler 10 mounted on a wheeled chassis includinga pair of laterally spaced wheels 14. The chassis carries a horizontallyextending baling chamber 18 that is centered between the wheels. Aplunger 19 reciprocates in a fore and aft motion within the balingchamber 18 for compacting the received forage material intocubical/square shaped bales. A windrow pickup assembly 20 is alsosupported on the chassis and is disposed in front of the wheels forpicking up a windrow of crop material as the baler is advanced along apath of travel by the towing vehicle (not shown). A loading duct 22 isdisposed between the pickup assembly 20 and the baling chamber 18, andincludes a stuffing mechanism 24 that transfers crop material from thepickup apparatus into the baling chamber, and pre-compresses thematerial prior to advancing it into the baling chamber 18. A pluralityof laterally spaced tines 34 of the pickup assembly 20 are drivenupwardly and rearwardly to transfer the crop material from the ground toa laterally extending pan 36. One or more augers 38 may be disposed onopposite sides of the pickup assembly 20 to convey crop material fromthe lateral edges of the pickup assembly to the center of the machine inalignment with the duct 22. The converged flow of crop material issubsequently transferred to the duct 22 by the stuffer 24. The plunger19 is reciprocated within the baling chamber 18 so that each new chargeof the crop material passing into the chamber is compacted rearwardlyduring a compaction stroke of the plunger 19. As the crop material iscompacted, it travels rearwardly into a squeeze mechanism 21 havingmoveable rails to apply inward pressure in order to shape the bale priorto reaching an outlet of the device. A suitable tying mechanism (notshown) is also provided for binding the bale prior to being ejected fromthe outlet.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an example round baling machine isillustrated. The particular baling machine illustrated in these figurescorresponds to the round baling device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,136,831, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by referencefor purposes of teaching a round baler. This round baler 10′ is alsomounted on a frame including an axle 14′ supported by spaced groundwheels 16′. This particular machine has the capability of forming largeround bales on a continuous basis. Specifically, the baler has mirrorimaged front and rear sets 24 and 26 of endless flexible bale rollingmembers, preferably in the form of side-by-side endless flexible belts27. The baler also includes front and rear control mechanisms 28 and 30with endless flexible chains 32 and 34 arranged in triangular patternsand mounted over rotatable sprockets 36, 38, 40 and sprockets 42, 44 and46, respectively. The front and rear control mechanisms 28 and 30 eachinclude spaced positioning rollers which span the baler to interconnectthe rear chains 34.

Formation of a round bale of desired density is accomplished by applyinga desired level of pressure on the crop material as it is rolled by therolling members 24 and 26. As the baler is towed across a field, thepickup assembly 98 continually lifts windrow materials off the groundinto the baling chamber 88. The materials are acted upon by thecounter-moving belt stretches 84 and 86 to cause the material to tumbleforwardly within the chamber 88.

Referring to FIG. 3, a bale B is shown in full size as it has beenformed within the machine. Once the bale reaches full size, it is liftedinto a raised position as fresh material continues to enter the balerbeneath the original bale. The full size bale in its raised position canbe released from control of the forming belts by presenting the bale toa rearwardly inclined ramp so that the bale may be discharged from thebaler by gravity down the ramp.

With respect to the system of the present invention, as described below,sensors may be conveniently mounted in the intake area directly adjacentthe pickup assembly of the baler so that the necessarymeasurements/observations can be taken for the incoming crop material,and then immediately followed by an appropriate application of theinoculants as the forage material passes through the intake area. Itshall be understood that the sensors of the present invention canappropriately mounted with varying types of baling machines in orderthat the sensors can take appropriate measurements just upstream of theflow of material prior to the forage material receiving an applicationof the inoculants. One of skill in the art will appreciate that sensorsmay be alternatively mounted near the inoculation application pointwherein moisture, etc., are measured after the inoculant is applied. Inthis embodiment, the sensors are located downstream of the inoculantapplication such that the moisture measurement of yet to be bailedmaterial is obtained. That measurement then may be used to selectivelyalter the amount of inoculant applied to the material associated withthe next bail. For example, the sensors may be located prior to theplunger (for example, 0 to 6 ft. from the application point) wherecontinuous measurements are obtained. Inoculant application adjustmentscould then be made as a function of the continuous measurements toensure accurate application of inoculant to each bail.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, an applicator assembly 100 is illustratedwhich is used to dispense a dry inoculant product. As discussed furtherbelow with reference to FIG. 7, the applicator assembly can be directlymounted on the baling machine to dispense a controlled amount ofinoculant onto the forage material prior to the material being baled.The applicator assembly includes a product bin or container 102 definedby plurality of sidewalls 104 including a converging lower portion 105which funnels the inoculant product into the very lower most or bottom107 of the container. The top opening 106 of the container may receive acover (not shown) to prevent the inoculants from being blown out of thecontainer during high wind conditions or from becoming wet from rain andtherefore not easily transported. The container/applicator assembly issupported by vertical supports 108 located at each corner of thecontainer. Lower horizontal supports 110 stabilize the lower ends of thevertical supports 108 and the supports 110 act as a bottom mount. A sidemounting bracket 112 is provided for directly mounting the container 102to the baling machine. In addition to the side mounting bracket 112,other mounting brackets can be fashioned to enable the container to bemounted to the particular type of baling machine used. As also shown inFIG. 4 by the broken lines, a dispensing auger 132 has one end whichprotrudes from the bottom 107 of the container for dispensing a meteredamount of inoculant product. The rotational speed of the augerdetermines the rate at which inoculant material is dispensed. The augerdispenses the inoculant product into an outlet receiving container 116that is mounted on plate 121. The outlet receiving container 116 has alower end that communicates with a blower motor 117 that extends belowthe plate 121. An outlet cover 114 is provided to prevent inoculatematerial from being blown out of the receiving container 116 during highwind or rain conditions.

A conveying line 118 is provided for conveying the inoculate productfrom the receiving container 116 to the forage material. The conveyingline 118 communicates with the bottom discharge end of the container 116and the blower motor 117. The blower motor provides the motive force forconveying the inoculant product through the conveying line 118. Theblower is optional as the conveying line can be positioned for gravitydelivery of the inoculant product to the desired location within theintake area of the baling machine.

A sight glass 120 is provided on one of the sidewalls 104 in order forthe operator to visualize the amount of inoculant product remaining inthe container. The container may also incorporate level sensors (notshown) which alert the operator to a low level of inoculant productwithin the container. For example, the sensors can be mechanicalswitches or electronic sensing devices such as capacitive switches thatwarn the operator that the container is low on inoculant product.

Referring to FIG. 6, an overhead perspective view is provided of theinterior of the container illustrating an auger cover 130 which coversthe auger 132. The auger cover can be in the form of an upside downv-shaped plate as shown that covers the full length of the auger.Inoculant product communicates with the auger 132 in the lateral gaps orspaces 134 located on both sides of the auger cover 130. The auger coverhelps to ensure the auger meters a consistent amount inoculant materialthat otherwise might be unduly compressed if the inoculant material wasallowed to directly contact the auger overhead. More specifically,consistency of the dispensing rate of the auger can be affected by theinoculant product height in the container if in direct contact with anexposed auger. With an exposed auger, as product is dispensed, thepressure on the exposed auger decreases and the flow rate of the productwill accordingly decrease. Accordingly, the auger cover 130 acts a flowregulating device and the cover 130 removes the variable downwardpressure on the auger from the product. Thus, the side or lateral entryof the inoculant product into contact with the auger helps to ensurerepeatability in terms of the rate at which inoculant product isdispensed by the auger. The auger is secured at each end of thecontainer by bearings (not shown) mounted to the exterior sides of theopposing sidewalls.

During operation, the auger rotates at a selected speed by a speedcontrolled motor (not shown). The motor speed is controlled by acontroller as discussed below. The control system of the presentinvention allows an operator to adjust the motor speed manually orautomatically to dispense a desired amount of the inoculants. Thev-shape of the container facilitates even and steady flow of theinoculant product into contact with the auger.

Referring to FIG. 7, an example baling machine 140 is illustrated withthe applicator assembly 100 mounted to the towing tongue 141 of thebaling machine 140. The particular baling machine illustrated in FIG. 7is, for example, a Hesston® Baler, which is a large rectangular balingdevice that may be towed by a tractor. Although a particular type ofbaling machine is illustrated in FIG. 7, it shall be understood that theapplicator assembly of the present invention is adaptable for mountingto any type of baling machine in which the conveying line 118 can beextended or shortened to enable the inoculant product to be applied tothe incoming forage material located at the throat or intake opening ofthe baling machine.

With the example baling machine of FIG. 7, an uptake area generallyrepresented by 142 is a location at which the forage material isreceived. The uptake assembly 142 is supported at each end by supportwheels 144. A pick-up reel 146 including a plurality of rotating pick-upteeth 148 transfer the windrow of forage material (not shown) into themachine. A cover 150 is disposed over the pick-up reel to channel theforage material into the machine.

Referring to FIG. 8, a greatly enlarged perspective view is provided ofthe intake opening or throat in which the forage material is receivedfor subsequent passage to the baling chamber (not shown). Initially, theforage material is lifted from the ground by the upward motion of therotating pick-up teeth 148. After the forage material is receivedbetween the cover 150 and the pick-up reel 146, the forage materialcontinues in a downward motion by the force of the rotating pick-upteeth 148 and the opposing feed teeth 154 that also rotate in a downwardfashion. The teeth 154 protrude through slots 157 of the feed manifold156. The feed teeth 154 continually traverse through the slots 157 inthe downward motion to convey the forage material to a loading duct thatrises upward to the entry of the baling chamber. The loading duct actsas a final conveying means for transport of the forage material into thebaling chamber.

Also referring to FIG. 9, the throat or intake opening is shown by thebracket 152 and defines the confined area in which the forage materialtravels just prior to being conveyed to the baling chamber by theloading duct (not shown). A plurality of intake augers 158 are disposedon lateral sides of the intake area, and the side augers 158 are rotatedto cause the forage material to converge within the intake area 152.There may be one or more augers disposed on each lateral side of theintake opening 152. The inoculant product is delivered by the conveyingline 118 to the space defining the intake opening 152. As shown, theconveying line 118 includes an outlet 119, and the inoculant product(not shown) exits the outlet 119 for direct application onto the foragematerial. The outlet 119 may be configured in various ways to bestdisperse the inoculant product across the width of the intake opening152. For example, various shaped and sized nozzles (not shown) may besecured to the outlet 119 for even distribution of the inoculant productacross the intake opening 152.

The lateral plate 160 which abuts the manifold 156 provides a convenientlocation for mounting of the contact type sensors that are used to sensethe moisture content of the forage material as it enters the intakeopening 152. The non contact type sensors can be mounted in the intakeopening above the plate 160 and above a normal height of the foragematerial passing through the intake opening.

Now referring to FIG. 10, a schematic diagram is provided of the systemof the present invention. As shown, the intake area 142 includes thepick-up reel 146 and plurality of pick-up teeth 148 that convey theforage material towards the feed teeth 154 protruding through themanifold 156. In this small gap or space between the feed manifold 156and the pick-up reel 146, various types of sensors may be mounted formeasuring the moisture content of the forage material as discussedbelow. The forage material is conveyed by loading duct 161 into thebaling chamber 163. The plunger 165 moves in a reciprocating fashion tocompact the forge material in the baling chamber 165. The inoculantcontainer 102 holds a quantity of inoculants to be dispensed by thedispensing auger. Conveying line 118 conveys the inoculants to thespecified location where the forage material is exposed so theinoculants can be evenly distributed. The inoculants are applied priorto the forage material being conveyed to the baling chamber. The amountof inoculants applied is determined by a controller 200. The moisturecontent of the forage material is measured by one or more sensorassemblies 170 and 178. The location(s) at which measurements are takenof moisture can be referred to as measurement point(s). A humiditysensor 210 also supplies inputs to the controller where the controlleradjusts the amount of inoculants applied by speeding up or slowing downthe motor that drives the auger. The controller is responsive to theinputs to provide an adjusted auger rotational speed within a very shorttime span. Thus, the inoculants are applied in varied amounts to accountfor forage material that may have significant moisture contentdifferences over short windrow distances.

Also referring to FIG. 10A, one type of sensor that can be used includesa contact type sensor assembly 170. For the contact type sensor assembly170, the assembly may include a mounting surface 172, supports 174, andconducting sensors 176 mounted on the mounting surface 172. The supports174 in this figure may also represent load cells that can providesignals to a remote display or controller (not shown) for indicating theweight of the incoming forage material. The supports 174 may be mountedon the plate 160. Contact type sensors may include conductive stripsthat provide a variable voltage signal back to a controller of thecontrol system based upon the conductivity measured by the presence ofmoisture within the forage material. Other examples of contact sensorsmay include probes that protrude into the path of the forage material,and contact of the probes against the forage material can effectivelymeasure moisture content.

In addition to or in lieu of the contact sensor assembly 170, anon-contact type sensor assembly 178 may be used as shown in FIG. 10B tomeasure moisture. The non-contact type, sensors may include ultrasoundsensors that measure distance or infrared sensors 182 that measuremoisture content. The volume of the forage material can be calculated asa function of the clear distance measured by the ultrasound sensor. Withrespect to the non-contact type sensors as shown in FIG. 10B, sensingbeams 184 have direct lines of sight with respect to the incoming foragematerial that passes below.

In accordance with the method and system of the present invention,manual or automatic control of the dispensing operation can be achieved.As previously mentioned, the application rate of the inoculant onto theforage material is determined by calculations including the forage feedrate into the baling machine (such as pounds per second), the moisturecontent of the forage material, and the relative humidity. When using anautomated control system of the present invention, one or more of thevalues can be input into a controller and used to calculate the optimaldispensing rate for the inoculant product.

The feed rate of the forage material into the baling machine can bemanually or automatically determined by the control system. Manual entryof feed rate values or automatic measure rates can be entered into thecontrol system for calculation of the dispensing rate of the inoculantproduct. Automatic feed rate data can be measured by the control systemusing bale weight and cycle time. The bale weight can be input into thecontrol system at the end of the baling cycle in which a single bale ofhay has been produced. Each bale cycle can also be measured in terms oftime to determine the cycle rate for each bale of hay. The feed ratewould then be calculated in pounds per second. Another method fordetermining the desired dispense rate is to use the moisture content ofthe forage material and volumetric measurement of material passingthrough the intake area to calculate the intake in pounds per second.Volumetric measurement can be accomplished by the non-contact typesensors mounted at the intake opening over a reference plate in thebottom of the intake area, such as the plate 160 mentioned previously.As forage material passes through the intake, the actual volume of theforage material can be calculated in this manner. The moisture contentof the forage material as measured at the intake opening is used tocalculate pounds per second feed rate.

The inoculant application rate is adjusted for the moisture content ofthe forage material. The application rate is increased as the moisturecontent of the forage material increases. The moisture of the foragematerial is continuously measured at the intake opening of the balingmachine prior to application of the inoculant and baling of the foragematerial. Moisture measurement of the forage material can be achievedusing multiple means, to include the contact and non-contact sensors asdescribed above. Examples of specific sensing methods include TDRtechnology (Time Domain Reflectometry) that measures a dielectricconstant (the water content) of the material; NIR (Near Infrared)technology; and capacitive sensor technology. Further for example, thecontrol system of the present invention may use moisture sensing deviceswith so various analog or digital outputs that best match the type ofcontroller used. With NIR technology, the sensors are non-contact andwould be positioned at the intake opening of the baling machine, asdiscussed above with respect to the non-contact sensor assembly 178.Other devices, such as TDR and capacitive technologies, require contactof the material and the sensors are therefore can be mounted on theplate 160 in the same manner as the contact sensor assembly 170. Asnoted above with respect to FIG. 10A, the contact sensors may simply bemounted on a mounting plate 160 and placed in direct contact with theincoming forage material.

Relative humidity is one factor that should be taken into considerationfor precise application of the inoculant products. The application ofthe inoculant product is increased as the relative humidity increases.Of course, the forage material moisture values typically increase withhumidity as well. One example of industry standard moisture correctionsfor humidity levels is provided in the table below.

Relative Humidity Increase in Moisture Value 60% 2.5% 70% 3.3% 75% 4.0%80% 5.0% 85% 6.6% 90% 10.0%

The control system of the present invention continuously measureshumidity and moisture content, and calculates corrections for theseparameters to determine the correct amount of inoculant product to beadministered. The control system of the present invention is alsocapable of collecting data for production records and analysis. Theparticular data that can be collected with the present inventionincludes: 1) total tons of treated and baled forage material produced;2) total bales produced; 3) tons per hour; 4) average moisture contentof the forage material for each bale; 5) inoculant used per ton; 6)total inoculant used; 7) applicator run time; 8) total baling/choppinghours; 9) forage temperature; 10) ambient temperature; and 11)production session hours. The data collected can be saved to removablestorage devices accessible on the control system hardware. Productionrecords can than be transferred to other computer systems as desired.The data collection and transfer can be achieved using wired or wirelesscommunication networks to include the incorporation of intranet networksbetween designated organizations or the use of the Internet.

As further described below, the control system of the present inventioncomprises a programmable control device such as a work station computeror a programmable logic controller (PLC) with a HMI, such as a touchscreen, or a conventional user display with an input device such as akeyboard. The operator uses the HMI to operate the inoculant dispensingsystem. The HMI may comprise various user operator screens in order tocontrol the dispensing system as also discussed below, to include theprovision of various operational modes such as an automatic controlmode, a manual control mode, a semi-automatic control mode, and statusscreens that show various system parameters in real time. Thesedifferent operator screens can be accessed from push buttons on thefront of the HMI panel or from traditional selection menus in softwareincorporated in the control system. The blower and auger can also beactivated from various screen locations. The blower is optional for eachprocess, as previously noted since gravity flow in some circumstancesmay be adequate for dispensing the inoculant material.

Activation of the auger commences the dispensing process. Data iscollected throughout a production session and may be stored until thecontroller is reset, or the operator otherwise decides to transfer thedata. Typically, the storage device is replaced or cleared betweenproduction sessions. A reset function can be provided to clear allproduction records in the controller.

The HMI also includes a setup screen for entering calibrationinformation. Calibration factors for various parameters to includemoisture, humidity, and the machine feed rate can be set in this screen.

In the event the control system in the present invention is used with abaling machine that is not equipped with any sensing devices, then themanual mode is best for operation in which the forage feed rate,moisture, and humidity can be entered from this mode.

Automatic operation results in control of the application of theinoculant using real time measured inputs of the feed rate (pounds persecond), percent moisture in the forage material, and the ambienthumidity. The application rate is continually calculated and adjusted toaccurately apply inoculant to the forage material. Dispensing ofinoculant only occurs when forage material enters the baler intake area.When the control system senses forage material entering the balerintake, than the inoculant dispensing will be activated. As discussedbelow, moisture content, application rate, and bales per hour ismonitored and displayed on one or more of the user screens.

The semi-automatic operation mode monitors moisture content, applicationrate, and bales per hour. The application rate of the inoculant can alsobe manually set by the operator. As with the automatic control mode,moisture content, application rate, and bales per hour are monitored anddisplayed on one or more user screens.

In the manual operation mode, this requires operator input for themeasured moisture content, application rate, and bales per hour.Dispensing of the inoculant in this manual mode only begins when theoperator activates the machine auger. Dispensing continues until theoperator deactivates the machines auger. The manually entered values formoisture content, application rate, and bales per hour are displayed onthe screen. Additionally, depending upon the presence of particularsensors, one or more of the other parameters may be shown, such as theactual measured moisture content, the measured dispensing rate, and themeasured ambient humidity.

One or more status screens can display information that summarizes aproduction session such as the number of bales produced, the amount/rateof inoculant product used, the time period in which the session tookplace, etc.

Data can be collected for baled forage material specific to each baleproduced. For example, during the baling process, each individual balecan be tagged with a marker containing a bar code, and the bar codecontains information corresponding to the amount/rate of the inoculantadded to the particular bale, the measured moisture and humidity at thetime the bale was produced, etc. The tag can be printed by a printingdevice that is mounted adjacent to the output of the baling device suchthat the tag can be automatically attached to the bale as it exits thebaling machine. As necessary, a bar code reader can than be used toidentify attributes of the bale as it was processed in the balingmachine. Additional information can also be gathered using the bar codereference from the data collected by the control system.

Referring to FIG. 11, an exemplary controller 200 is illustrated inaccordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Aspreviously mentioned, the control system of the present invention may beembodied in various forms to include a standalone work station computer,a programmable logic controller, or even a remote HMI interface thatcommunicates with a central processing unit. The embodiment illustratedin FIG. 200 can be considered any of these possibilities and isillustrated in FIG. 11 in very general form. The controller 200 as shownincludes a housing 202, and a visual operator interface including atouch screen area 204. Alternatively, the area 204 can represent adigital display in which the operator controls the system by manualoperating controls incorporated on the housing. For example, one or moreoperating controls may be mounted on the housing, such as an auger andblower switch 206, and an auger speed control 208. For the auger andblower switch 206, the operator may manually turn the auger on, orsimultaneously turn the blower and auger on. The manual speed control208 allows the operator to adjust the rotational speed of the augerwhich in turn, affects the dispensing rate of the inoculant product.

FIG. 11A illustrates a side view of an electrical junction box 201 inwhich various ports may be provided for interconnecting system inputsand outputs to the controller For example, analog cable port 203 isprovided for analog inputs such as the moisture sensor or other hardwarethat provides inputs to the controller 200. Digital cable port 205 Isprovided for digital inputs from system hardware, which could alsoinclude moisture level sensors that generate a digital signal. Referringto FIG. 11B, a bottom view of the housing 202 is provided in whichvarious output ports are provided for sending signals to various outputdevices to include, for example, the blower motor and the auger motor.Other output ports 212 may be provided for controlling other outputs ofthe control system. FIG. 11B also illustrates a humidity sensor 210which provides inputs to the controller to measure the relativehumidity. As discussed, relative humidity is one of the parameters whichis monitored to determine the optimal inoculant dispense rate. Thehumidity sensor 210 is conveniently mounted to the junction box;however, it shall be understood that the humidity sensor can also belocated at other locations, such as on or adjacent to the container. Useof the junction box may provide a convenient solution for consolidatinginput/output lines however it shall be understood that the junction boxis optional and other arrangement can be used for organizinginput/output lines.

FIG. 12 illustrates a user interface screen, such as one which may beillustrated on the touch screen area 204. It shall be understood thatthe touch screen area 204 can also be incorporated in a stand alonescreen display in which all system controls are manipulated through thetouch screen or through other input devices such as a keyboard andmouse. The particular user screen illustrated in FIG. 12 illustrates themanual operation mode 214. In this screen, the operator has the optionof adjusting the dispense rate 216 of the auger, this rate being shownin pounds of inoculant per ton of forage material. The operator also hasthe option of adjusting the dispense rate of the auger by increasing ordecreasing the voltage supplied to the auger motor which in turn changesthe speed of the motor which drives the auger. For example, up button218 if selected would increase the voltage to the DC drive motor by anincrement of 0.1 volts, while selecting the down button 219 would reducethe voltage by 0.1 volts. Button 220 may provide a greater incrementincrease or decrease in voltage, such that selection of button 220could, for example, increase the voltage to the DC drive motor by 1volt, while the button 221 if selected would decrease the voltage by 1volt. The motor speed controlled by voltage is calibrated to the augerdispense feed rate in pounds per ton. The dispense rate displayed can bein pounds per ton. This screen shown in FIG. 12 may also include otherattributes such as a manual blower on/off switch 222, and a manual augeron/off switch 224. Thus, the operator could also control the blower andauger independently through this user screen. The moisture content ofthe forage material is also displayed in this user screen at 226. Thismoisture content can either be that which is manually entered by theuser, or which has been independently measured by a separate device.Alarm icon 234 provides the operator an alarm condition, which mayprovide the operator with indication of a system problem based upon anumber measured events, or conditions which exceed preprogrammeddispense rates based upon input moisture and/or humidity values. Forexample, in the manual operation mode, if the operator enters aparticular moisture content, and then manipulates the rate of dispensesuch that either a clearly excess or clearly inadequate amount ofinoculant product is to be applied, the alarm 234 can be triggered. Thisalarm condition can be a visual and auditable alarm, and can alsoinclude a message that may be displayed (not shown) which explains thealarm condition to the user in a dialogue box appearing on the screen.Thus, the controller 200 may also communicate with the user's e-mail orother messaging capability in order to convey an alarm condition. Forexample, the controller may be linked to a user's email in a traditionalwired/wireless communication network, or may be linked for transmissionto the user's cellular phone.

The user interface in FIG. 12 also shows a system button 232, as well asvarious function buttons 230. The function buttons, labeled as F1, F2,F3, and F4, may correspond to other user screens selected by the user,such as the other displays discussed below to include the automaticoperation mode, the semi-automatic operation mode, and the statusscreens. The system button 232 if selected can provide another userscreen (not shown) which lists various system parameters to includeinstalled hardware in the control system, various data parameters,algorithms used to set dispense rates, etc.

FIG. 13 illustrates another user interface screen, and morespecifically, an automatic operation mode 240. In this automaticoperation mode, the moisture content 226 displayed is the actualmoisture content as calculated by the control system in conjunction withone or more of the sensors located at the intake opening 152 where theforage material passes. The application rate 216 is the real timeapplication rate as measured by the current speed of the auger motor.The bales/hour display 242 is the actual number of bales produced perhour as the baling machine operates. The application rate is continuallyadjusted based upon the particular auger rate algorithms programmedused, that are based upon the moisture content, relative humidity, andintake rate of the forage material. In this automatic operation modescreen, the user still has the capability to turn on and off the blowerand auger as shown. However, if the operator chooses to turn off theauger, this can result in a temporary delay of the information displayedsince the controller will sense the stoppage of the auger and willtherefore also cease dispensing of the inoculant product.

FIG. 14 illustrates the semi-automatic operation mode 250 in which theoperator may adjust the dispense rate of the auger, or return to theautomatic mode by selecting button 252. In this semi-automatic operationmode 250, the moisture content of the forage material is also displayedat 226. The operator also has the option of turning on or off the blowerand auger.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example status screen 260 in which variouscounters can be provided to the user. As shown in this figure, display270 provides the total pounds of inoculant product used in the currentdispensing operation in tons, display 272 provides the total baledforage material created during the job, and display 274 provides thetotal number of bales made during the baling session/job. This statusscreen 260 also provides other functionality to include an EOJ (End ofJob) button 262 which allows the operator to signify the end of the job,in which the counters 270, 272, and 274 are reset. The status screen 260also provides a calibration button 264 which leads the operator toanother screen for calibration of the system, as discussed further belowwith respect to FIGS. 17 and 18. The alarms button 266 if selectedprovides a listing of alarms available for monitoring the system, aswell as capability for the user to add additional alarm conditions asdesired. The user has the ability to select and edit various alarmconditions. Button 268 if selected allows the operator to view anotherstatus screen for other measured system parameters, as discussed withrespect to FIG. 16.

Referring to FIG. 16, an additional status screen 276 provided in whichother parameters are measured/counted. For example, display 277 providesan indication of the number of tons of forage material produced perhour, display 278 provides the present relative humidity conditions, anddisplay 279 provides a display of the present temperature. Button 284 ifselected allows the operator to return back to the pervious statusscreen.

The speed of the vehicle can be sensed by proximity sensors (not shown)mounted near one of the wheels of the vehicle. Referring to FIG. 17, acalibration screen 280 is provided which allows an operator to conduct acalibration of the speed sensor. As shown, instructions on the screeninstruct the operator to drive the baling machine at a particular speed,and then to press the calibration button 282 which at that time measuresthe sensor input to the controller as related to the speed indicated onthe calibration screen. This value will be used to calculate foragematerial pounds per foot as entered in user screen 290.

FIG. 18 shows another calibration related user screen 290 in which theuser can set the amount of forage entering the baler/chopping machine inpounds per foot of travel distance in the display 292. From this enteredvalue in display 292, the system uses this value to calculate thedispensing rate of the inoculant as related to the speed traveled.

In accordance with the present invention, a system and method areprovided for accurately dispensing a desired quantity of inoculantproduct based upon real time data that regulates the amount ofinoculants dispensed. The real time measurement of forage materialmoisture content enables the system to control the dispense rate in fineincrements to account of varying moisture contents in the foragematerial that may occur over short distances as the baling machinetravels. The control system of the present invention provides a numberof user options for manual, automatic, and semi-automatic control basedupon the type of baling machine to which the system is mounted. Theautomatic mode requires less operator effort, and assuming the balingmachine is equipped with the proper sensors, the dispense rate of theinoculant product is automatically controlled without the necessity ofoperator intervention. However, the system controller of the presentinvention is flexible enough to allow manual intervention in the eventthe operator decides to override preset parameters for dispensing. Thecontact and non-contact type sensors retrofitted to the intake openingof the baling machine provide effective capabilities in measuringmoisture content. The inoculant container may be easily mounted to thebaling machine, and the robust construction of the dispense augerinsures that a consistent dispense takes place.

1. A system for applying inoculants to forage material comprising: an inoculant container for storing and dispensing an amount of inoculants, and an auger disposed in the container for controllably dispensing the inoculants; a conveying line for conveying the inoculants from the container to a pre-designated location; a forage material transport element for transporting the forage material from a field to a processing machine above the ground; a moisture sensor for sensing moisture in the forage material after it is transported into the processing machine, and prior to the forage material being transported to a baling chamber of the processing machine and after the forage material has cleared a pick-up reel of the machine; and a controller for receiving signals from the moisture sensor indicative of the moisture content of the forage material, and said controller transmitting a control signal to vary the speed of the auger in order to dispense a pre-determined amount of inoculants in response to the sensed moisture content, said moisture sensor including at least one of a contact type moisture sensor that is placed in direct contact with the forage material as it is transported into the machine, and a non-contact sensor placed in communication with the moving transported forage material.
 2. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said controller includes controls for powering said auger and selectively powering a blower which conveys the forage material in the conveying line.
 3. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said controller includes a control for setting a manual speed of the auger rotation.
 4. A system, as claimed in claim 1, further including: a humidity sensor communicating with said controller for inputting relative humidity data into said controller, and said controller also adjusting a rotational speed of the auger based upon a combination of the moisture content and the relative humidity.
 5. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said controller has controls for manually adjusting a rate of dispense of the auger.
 6. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said controller provides alarm conditions to report upon out of range conditions in the system, said out of range conditions including at least one of an excess amount of inoculants applied, a deficient amount of inoculants applied, auger stoppage, and a low level inoculants warning.
 7. A system, as claimed in claim 1, further including: a blower for assisting the conveyance of inoculants through said conveying line.
 8. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: sensing of moisture content by said moisture sensor occurs in a gap between a feed manifold of the machine and a pick-up reel of the machine. 